The man heading the emergency inquiry into corruption in international cricket has a reputation as a maverick set on changing the face of the game.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, 61, now approaching the end of his three-year term as president of the International Cricket Council, took the post promising to spread the game beyond the bounds of the Commonwealth.

One day cricket: Wide appeal

Mr Dalmiya is from a wealthy Calcutta family and inherited one of India's largest construction companies at the age of 19.

He is married with two sons and is described as a workaholic.

As a player, he opened the batting and kept wicket for one of the Calcutta's leading clubs.

If anything is happening then it must be unravelled

ICC Jagmohan Dalmiya

Mr Dalmiya first clashed with the cricket establishment in the mid-90s when he was president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He secured the 1996 World Cup by promising a larger share of the profits to the ICC's 23 associate members should they vote for it to be held on the subcontinent.

His world presidency has been characterised by ICC-backed one-day tournaments, many taking place in Bangladesh and the Far East.

These generate millions of pounds in sponsorship and television rights. But they have become embroiled in allegations of match-fixing.

The president defends the expansion of one-day cricket, which helps extend the sport to more countries, and denies it damages the five-day Test matches.

Starting young in the Commonwealth nations

"One-day cricket is an important version, especially in countries where five-day cricket is not played," he said.

Mr Dalmiya has acknowledged that some matches are fixed, but rejects the accusation of widespread rigging in international competition.

But the task of tackling allegations against the sport is complicated by a defamation case.

Mr Dalmiya is suing financial adviser Arun Agarwal over allegations that he was involved in a cut-price TV deal two years ago.

As he prepares to step down as ICC president next month, the cricket community hopes that the man who vowed to spread the game will now clean it up.

"There is no cover-up," he has insisted.

"If anything is happening then it must be unravelled."

But with various nations holding their own inquiries and problems over making evidence public, this could be easier said than done.